Bundling machine



Dec. l5, 1953 M. G. sHENlGo BUNDLING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 5, 1951 UNVENTOR Michael G.. Sheuija ATTORNEYS Dec. 15, 1953 2,662,468

M. G. SHENIGO BUNDLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1951 7 Sheets-Shee`t 2 ATTORNEY M. G. sHENlGo 2,662,468 BUNDLING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet I3 Dec. l5, 1953 Filed oct. 5, 1951 Dec. l5, 1953 M. G. sHENlGo BUNDL'ING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet4 I INVENTOR Mickael, G. Skenigo @val/Mmes@ ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1953 M. G. sHENlGo BUNDLING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 5, 1951 r 7X@ f7 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Dec. 15, 1953 M, G, SHENIGO 2,662,468

BUNDLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 0 o Y 5 1 .3 @a d T m m m h km 7F m s r m 7 \\\\m Ys 8 9 f 1W 6 Z 4 d.. i L d M m l. n u 8 Z 6 7 oo oo M wwwa# www 7 A 8 MW\\`"""""`-I 5 NVENTOR Michael G. Shenigo ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 15, 1953 2,662,468 BUNDLING MACHINE Michael G. Shenigo, Sandusky, Ohio, assignor to The Hinde & Dauch Ohio, a corporation Paper of Ohio Company, Sandusky,

Application October 5, 1951, Serial No. 249,872

9 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to bundling machines and particularly to a machine for assembling paperboard box blanks or the like in piles and for tying the piled blanks in compact bundles.

In the machine of the present invention a pile of sheets such as paperboard blanks is advanced by a conveyor to a tying mechanism which includes means for suspending a string in the path of the pile so that the string is drawn about the front edge and .top and bottom of the pile as the pile is advanced by the conveyor.

Means is also provided for compressing the pile of blanks and for drawing the string tightly around the pile While it is compressed.

The conveyor is preferably of the type having a supporting bed and pusher flights for advancing the piles of blanks along the bed and means blanks is properly positioned with respect to the tying mechanism.

It is an object of the invention to provide bundling mechanisms in which piles of blanks A further object of the invention is to provide a pile compressing and tying means that is controlled by a feed conveyor to operate immediately after a pile is delivered to tying position.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bundling machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section at the piling station taken on the line indicated at 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of the machine at the tying station;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line indicated at 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the presser frame;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the presser frame approaching the top of the pile of blanks and in the position where the string tightening pad is initially engaged with the string on the top of the pile;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the presser frame in its lowermost positionV where the pad has been advanced to tighten the string and the pile engaging straps are deflected over the corners of the pile to compress .the ends of the pile;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the presser frame;

Fig. 1G is a fragmentary longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through the string tightening pad;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section through the tying mechanism taken on the line indicated at Il-l l in Fig. 4,

Fig. 12 is a view showing one of the single revolution clutches partly in side elevation and partly in section;

Fig. 13 is a wiring trieal control system;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of the tying mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary side elevation of the tying mechanism; and

Figs. 16 and 1'7 are perspective views of the tying head that illustrate the tying operation.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is shown applied to a machine for piling and tying paperboard box blanks. The machine has a frame or housing I which has base portions 2to which suitable casters 3 may be attached to enable the machine to be moved about on a factory oor. The top of the housing l is fiat and serves as a conveyor bed. As herein shown the bed consists of ilat top side rails i and fiat top inner rails 5 that are spaced inwardly from the rails 4 and that are spaced apart to provide laterally spaced longitudinal slots to accommodate conveyor elements and a central longitudinal slot to accommodate the tying mechanism.

Transverse horizontal shafts 6 and 'i are mounted in the housing i adjacent the opposite ends thereof and these shafts carry sprockets 8 over which endless chains 9 run. The chains 9 have flights I0 attached thereto that project through and travel in the slots between `the bed rails 4 and 5. Adjacent the rear end of the machine transverse box blank feed belts H may be diagram showing the elecvertical positioning plates i2 and I3 sides of the conveyor bed.

Vertical guide posts I4 carried by the housing l project above the conveyor bed at the back i thereof. A slide is mounted on the guide posts |4 and is moved vertically on the guide posts |4 by means of pistons I6 extending upwardly from vertical cylinders |1 that are pivoted to brackets i8 at the bottom of the housing. The slide |5 is provided with spaced arms |9 that project over the conveyor bed and that support an elongated presser frame 2|) that is disposed above the conveyor bed and parallel thereto. A vertical shaft 2| forms an extension of one of the posts |4 and has a support 22 for a spool of string rotatably mounted thereon at its upper end. The string from the spool on the support 22 passes through a suitable guide 23 on the shaft 2| and through a needle 24 that is mounted to swing through the central slot of the conveyor bed from a position far enough above the conveyor bed to clear a pile of blanks to a position beneath a pile of blanks on the conveyor bed. When the needle is in its upper position the string extends through the needle 24 and downwardly from the needle through the central slot of the conveyor bed and the lower end of the string is suitably anchored so that when a pile of blanks is moved forwardly against the string, the string will be drawn through the needle 24 and around the front edge and across the top and bottom of the pile. The needle 24 is positioned centrally of the conveyor and is supported on a laterally projecting crank arm 25 that swings about a horizontal transverse shaft 26 journaled in a post 21 attached to the back of the housing The needle carrying arm is actuated by means of a pinion 28 on the shaft 26 which, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is actuated by a rack 29 that is reciprocated by means of a crank arm 30 on a transverse shaft 3| journaled in the housing beneath the conveyor bed. In one revolution of the shaft 3| the needle 24 is swung from the l position shown in Fig. 1 to a position beneath the bed shown in Fig. 15 and is returned to its uppermost position. The shaft 3| operates the tying mechanism and the tying operation is com pleted in one revolution of the shaft.

The presser frame 23, as is best shown in Figs. 6 to 8, extends longitudinally of the conveyor bed and is positioned centrally thereof. The frame comprises a pair of longitudinal bars 32 connected by cross plates 33 to which the arms |9 are rigidly attached. At opposite ends 3 thereof the bars 32 have downwardly extending struts 34 and 35 which are rigidly attached thereto. To each of the rear struts 35 a flexible strap 36 is attached by means of bolts 31. The

straps 35 extend over vertically spaced rollers 33 and 36 on the front struts 34 and have rods 4U attached to the ends thereof, the rods 4D being carried by blocks 4| attached to the straps and being slidable in brackets 42 projecting upwardly from the bars 32. The straps 35 extend over the lower ends of the struts 35 and are drawn taut between the rollers 38 and the lower ends of the struts 35 by means of coil springs 43 which are interposed between the rear faces of the brackets 42 and washers 44 held in place on the rods 40 by means of nuts 45.

The conveyor is so controlled that each pile of blanks is stopped in tying position beneath the presser frame 20 with its rear edge disposed forwardly of the rear struts 35 of the presser frame so that when downward pressure is exterted on the frame 2|) the pile of blanks is engaged by the flexible straps 36 which because of their yieldable mounting will be bent over the front and rear top corners of the pile to effectively compress the front and rear ends of the pile so that when the string is drawn tightly around the com pressed bundle and tied, a compact bundle is formed.

In order to more tightly draw the string around the bundle, a string tightening pad is provided which is suspended from the frame 26 by parallel links 46. The pad 45 is maintained in horizontal position by the parallel links 45 and the links 46 are prevented from swinging forwardly to a vertical position by means of a bracket 41 attached to the under side of the frame 23 in position to be engaged by the forf ward link 46. The presser frame 26 is moved downwardly to apply pressure to a pile of blanks on the conveyor bed by means of the cylinders i1 and the pad 45 which, as shown in Fig. 7, is normally supported below the straps 35, engages with the string on top of the pile before the straps 36 engage the pile. As the frame is moved downwardly to press the straps 36 against the top of the pile, the pad 45 is moved rearwardly by the links 46, sliding on the top of the pile and exerting a frictional pull on the string to tighten it around the pile of blanks.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the machine is driven by an electric motor 48 which drives a large pulley 49 on a transverse shaft 50 through a belt 5|, a suitable reduction gearing in a housing 52 being interposed between the motor and the belt 5|. An endless chain 56 is driven by a small sprocket 51 on the shaft 56 and drives a sprocket 58 that is rotatably mounted on the cross shaft 3| and a sprocket 59 that is rotatably mounted on a transverse shaft 60 journaled in the housing adjacent the front shaft 6. The shaft 60 is driven by the sprocket 53 through a one revolution clutch 6| on the shaft 6U and the conveyor chains are driven through the sprocket 8 by means of gears 62 and 63 on the shaft 60 and shaft 6.

The shaft 3| is driven by the sprocket 58 through a one revolution clutch 64 supported on the shaft 3|. Upon each actuation of the clutch 6| the conveyor chains are driven a distance corresponding to the spacing of the flights ID, the conveyor being stopped after one revolution of the shaft 63 with two flights in the position shown in Fig. l, the forward flight having advanced a pile of blanks to tying position beneath the presser frame 26 and another flight being positioned for engagement with a pile of blanks on the rear end portion of the conveyor bed.

After .each tying operation the tied bundle is discharged from the machine and another pile of blanks is brought to tying position.

The one revolution clutches 6| and 64 may be any of several well known types and, as herein illustrated, the two clutches are of identical construction, each being controlled by a one tooth ratchet 65 that is provided with a ratchet tooth 66 that is engaged by a pawl 61. The pawls 61 normally hold the ratchets 65 and shafts 3| and 60 against turning movement and retain the ratchets 65 in positions Where the sprockets 5B and 59 are permitted to turn freely on the shafts 3| and 60. The pawls 61 are moved to releasing position by means of solenoids 63 and 39, the solenoids 68 and 69 being momentarily energized so that the pawls 61 will drop back to ratchet engaging position before a complete revolution of the cam has been effected. Each of the ratchets 65 controls a driving connection A between a drum 10 on a driving sprocket and a hub 1| on a driven shaft. The driving drums i 10 are attached to the sprockets 58 and 59 and the hubs 1| are keyed to the shafts 3| and 60.

Each clutch has a retaining ring 12 that is attached to the ratchet B5 and that positions spaced rollers 13 between the drum 10 and the hub 1|. A spring 14 connected at its ends to the hub 1| and the ratchet 65 urges the ratchet 65 and ring 12 toward a position with respect to the hub of wedging engagement with the drum, so that driving torque is no longer transmitted from the drum to the shaft.

As shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings, the motor 48 is controlled by a switch 15 and. the

operation of the conveyor is controlled by a t" switch 11. The switch 11 may be a pedal switch as shown in Fig. 1.

The tying mechanism clutch 64 is controlled by a trip operated switch 18 that is located in the path of one of the flights |G adjacent the zv tying station. The switch 18 is operated` substantially simultaneously with the stopping of the conveyor to initiate the tying operation immediately after a pile of blanks has been moved to tying position. The shaft 3| not only operates the tying mechanism, but also controls the operation of the cylinders l1 to apply pressure to the pile of blanks while they are being tied. The shaft 3| has a cam 19 attached thereto which operates a valve actuating lever 80 which, as shown in Fig. 4, is pressed toward the cam by means of a spring 8|.

to connect the pressure line S3 with pipe lines 86 and 81 leading to the upper and lower ends of the cylinders il'. The valve 82 has ports 88 i.

and 8.@ for exhausting lines 85 and 81. The lever 80 moves from the position shown in Fig. 13 where pressure is supplied through the line 81 to the lower ends of the cylinder |1 and pressure is exhausted from the line 85, to a position where the ports 'Sil and B9 are opened and pressure is supplied to the line B5 and exhausted from the line 31 to move the pistons I6 downwardly and press the frame 2|] against the top of a pile of blanks on the conveyor belt.

In order to prevent operation of the conveyor through a distance greater than that through which it is moved by one revolution of the shaft t5 if the switch 11 should be held closed instead of being immediately released after closing,

a safety switch 9i) is provided which is in the path of a trip member 9| attached tc one of the pistons to break the circuit of the solenoid St independently of the switch 11 shortly after the shaft 3| begins its revolution.

In order to assist in overcoming the inertia of the moving parts of the tying mechanism in stopping, the shaft 3| which operates the tying mechanism is provided with a band brake 92 stantially centrally beneath the conveyor hed, the frame (-3 being pivoted on a longitudinal shaft 5d. In its vertical position the frame Q3 is positioned adjacent the back face of a combined cam An upright r aled in the frame 93 and carries a tying head |95 at its upper end.V The shaft SiS has a bevel pinion I!!! at its lower end that meshes with a bevel gear segment |62 on the 'u er .Face of the wheel 95 during a portion of revolution of the wheel.

he string clutch is mounted in the forward portion of the frame 93 and comprises two gripper arms |63 and a laterally movable shuttle arm E34. The upper ends of the arms Is have gripping arm |04. transverse movement relative to the arms |63 retaining shoulders it which prevent outward movement of the string with the arm |64 when the arm is moved outwardly to its normal position.

The shuttle arm it is attached to a transverse shaft lila and the arms |93 are connected to the shaft |69.. by a pivot Mii disposed transversely of the shaft. The shaft |39 is journaled in a yoke i! that is pivoted to the frame $3 to turn about a horizontal longitudinal axis. The shaft |09 carries a torsion spring H2 which tends to turn the shaft me in a direction to swing the upper ends of the arms m3 and it@ forwardly. The spring Iii@ Ialso serves to yieldingly resist pull exerted on the end of the string held by the clutch during the tying operation. The yoke has an arm i3 attached thereto which is in the path of a pin H4 attached to the wheel 05 whereby a lateral locking movement is imparted to the shuttle arm |04 during a portion of the tying operation. The arms |63 are prevented from rocking inwardly with the arm |04 by a pin H5 which is attached to the frame 93 and extends forwardly through slots I6 in the arms |03. The pin ||5 serves to limit the forward movement of the arms |03 and the slots H6 are of sufficient length to permit the necessary rearward rocking movement of the arms |03 during the tying operation.

The tying head |00 has an upper stationary jaw H1 that is recessed on its under side to provide a retainingr shoulder i IB. The head also includes a lower pivoted jaw H9 that is movable into and out of the recess behind the shoulder HS of the upper jaw. The lower jaw H9 has a downwardly extending arm |20 which carries a roller |2| which engages a cam |22 on the rocker frame. During the tying operation the head |09 is turned through a complete revolution by the gear segment |02. At the beginning of the turning movement the ends of the string extending around the bundle pass under the jaw H9 and during the revolution of the head |00 the string is looped around the upper and lower jaws and the lower jaw is opened to widen the loop and cause en end to be passed across the loop behind the shoulder H8. Upon completion of the rotating movement the frame 93 is rocked away from the wheel 95 and the end is pulled through to the loop which is held against movement with the head |00 by stripper bars |23. The bars |23 are pressed toward engaging position by springs |24 but are held in retracted position by pins |25 on the rocker freine 93 which engage with arms |26 attached to the stripper arms |23.

When the one revolution clutch B4 is tripped the needle 24 is swung to its lowermost position shown in Fig. 15 and the string which passes through guides |21 and |28 at opposite ends of the needle |24 is dislodged from a guide |29 attached to the conveyor bed which normally holds the string clear of the tying head. When the needle is at the end of its stroke the string is brought into engagement with the under side of the jaw H9 and the portion of the string adjacent the guide |21 is brought behind the hook |01 of the shuttle arm. The tying head |00 is then rotated to form the knot and the cam 98 rocks the frame 93 away from the wheel 95 to complete the knot. Immediately prior to the rocking movement of the frame 93 the pin |4 engages the arm H3 to rock the shuttle arm |04 and clutch the string extending from the guide |21. Upon rocking movement of the frame 93 the string is severed adjacent the knot by a knife |30 against which the string is pushed by the rocker frame, the knife |30 being between the tying head |00 and the string clutch and above the needle 24 so that the portion of the string projecting from the knot is severed and the string adjacent the forward end of the needle is clutched so that upon upward movement of the needle the string will be anchored for another tying operation.

It is to be understood that in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, variations and modifications of the speciiic devices herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for bundling and tying paperboard box blanks or the like comprising a conveyor having a bed for supporting a pile of box blanks and a pusher for advancing the pile along the bed, means for actuating said pusher to advance a pile of blanks a predetermined distance, means for suspending a string in the path of said pile and for anchoring an end of the string so that the string will be drawn over the front and across the top and bottom of the pile as the pile is advanced by said pusher, laterally spaced downwardly movable flexible pressure applying members engageable with the top of the pile on opposite sides of the string and bendable over the top corners of the pile, tying means for drawing the string over the rear of said pile and tightening and tying the same while the pile is compressed by said members, and means for actuating said pressure applying members and said tying means upon completion of said pile advancing movement.

2. A machine for bundling and tying paperboard box blanks or the like comprising a conveyor having a bed for supporting a pile of box blanks and a pusher for advancing the pile along the bed, means for actuating said pusher to advance a pile of blanks a predetermined distance, means for suspending a string in the path of said pile and for anchoring an end o the string so that the string will be drawn over the front and across the top and bottom of the pile as the pile is advanced by said pusher, laterally spaced downwardly movable pressure applying members engageable with the top of the pile on opposite sides of the string, a member abovel said pile engageable with the string on the top of the pile and movable toward the rear of the pile to apply tension to the string, means for actuating said pressure applying and tensioning members, and tying means for drawing the string over the rear ci the Apile and tying the same while the pile is compressed and said string is tensioned.

3. A. machine for bundling and tying paperboard box blanks or the like comprising a conveyor having a supporting bed provided with a central longitudinal slot and side slots parallel with and on opposite sides of said central slot and endless conveyor flights projecting upwardly through said side slots, means for piling flat blanks on said bed, means including a one revolution clutch for driving said conveyor to advance a pile on said bed a predetermined distance, means for suspending a string through said central slot and for anchoring the string below the bed whereby the string is drawn by the pile around the bottom forward end and top of the pile when said pile is advanced by said nights, means controlled by said conveyor and actuated upon completion of each advancing movement of the conveyor for drawing the said string tight around said pile and tying the same, a pair of vertically movable longitudinally extending pressers engageable with the top of said pile on opposite sides of the string, each of said pressers comprising a flexible bundle engaging strap bendable over the top corners of the pile, and means controlled by said tying means for actuating said pressers to compress said pile of blanks during the tying operation.

4. A. machine for bundling and tying paperboard box blanks or the like comprising a bed for slidably supporting a pile of box blanks, means for placing a string around the front, top and bottom of the pile upon an advancing movement of the pile on the bed, a frame mounted above the table for vertical movements toward and away from the table, laterally spaced pairs of struts extending downwardly from said frame, a flexiaceaees ble bundle engaging strap extending across the 8. A machine for bundling and tying paperspace etween each of said pairs o-f struts, said board box blanks or the like comprising a bed for straps being engageable with the top of the slidably supporting a pile of box blanks, means tying the same. from the bed, laterally spaced pressure applying 5. A machine for bundling and tying papermembers yieldably supported on said frame and board box blanks or the like comprising a bed 10 engageable with the top of said pile on opposite the table for vertical movements toward and l5 toward vertical position and for normally supsaid straps being engageable with the top of the string as the pressure applying members cornthe other, a yielding connection between the op- 9. A machine for bundling and tying paperboard box blanks or the like comprising a bed for he string so that the string will be drawn over Siidably SUDDOIiIIg a Dile 0f blanks, means for the front and across the top and bottom of the placing a String aIOllnd the flOIliJ OD and bOOm pile upon an advancing movement or" the pile on mating said pressure applying members t0 00H1- 40 Flexible pile engaginCT straps connecting the lower pile 0n ODpOSiie Sides 0f the String, a fliCiOIl tying the same While the pile is compressed.

member engageable with the string on top of said MICHAEL G. SHENIGO. pile and movable toward the rear of the pile to tighten the. string about the pile, iiuid pressure References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS compress the pile and tighten the string about Number Name Date 

